The invention relates to a process as a safety concept against unauthorized use of a payment instrument in cashless payment at payment sites, an arrangement with several payment sites and a payment instrument therefor.
Services are defined among others as tickets for use of a train, bus or aircraft, etc., admission tickets for museums, theater performances, etc., as well as dispensing of cash. Purchases of goods are defined on the one hand as purchase of goods which have been selected in a business, and on the other hand goods dispensed directly by a vending machine, for example, candy, beverages, newspapers, food, and all types of movable products which do not exceed certain dimensions dictated by the vending machine. The vending machine contains a payment site for cashless payment for purchase of goods.
Depending on the application, there have been the most varied payment sites, as, for example, on vending machines for buying tickets for public transport, for payment of an amount in purchase of goods at a cashier's in a store, etc. Small amounts were paid at payment sites using a prepaid cashless payment instrument, generally a card-shaped article with computer-readable information and/or an installed chip. Larger amounts were paid generally by means of a debit, credit or customer charge card which likewise contained computer-readable information.
If the equivalent value to be paid, for example, for a subway or bus ride, was small, prepaid cashless payment instruments were made such that admittedly their counterfeiting represented a certain effort; however, unauthorized use by anyone, whether by a dishonest finder or a thief, was possible. If, for example, cash was to be procured or goods of higher value were to be purchased, generally possession of a cashless payment instrument was not adequate for purchase of goods; in addition, for example, a PIN code had to be typed into the keyboard of the payment site as an authorization check for holder identification, in which, depending on the security level, there would also be an "inquiry" (on-line authentication) at the account holding institution, in a stop list, a positive file, etc., by the payment site.
Depending on the type and value of the goods and/or services purchased or to be purchased, the customer required several cashless payment instruments.